A neo-Nazi gunman killed at the very least 15 folks — together with 11 youngsters — in a Russian faculty on Monday, whereas sporting a swastika shirt and celebrating the cowardly Columbine faculty shooters.
Artem Kazantsev, 34, additionally wounded at the very least 24 others, all however two of whom had been youngsters, earlier than taking pictures himself useless in a classroom in College No. 88 in Izhevsk, native officers mentioned.
The mass killer — as soon as a scholar on the faculty — was proven mendacity in a pool of blood, dressed all in black with a purple swastika in a circle drawn on his shirt within the assault throughout Rosh Hashanah.
The weapons discovered with him had braided keychains that made clear he was impressed by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who killed 13 throughout a 1999 assault on Columbine Excessive College in Littleton, Colorado.
One had the phrase “Columbine” in English, whereas the opposite had “Eric” and “Dylan,” in keeping with photographs shared by the ASTRA information company.
He additionally appeared to have a number of pistol magazines with him, with the phrase “hatred” scrawled in purple, in keeping with the outlet.
Investigators have mentioned two safety guards and two lecturers had been among the many victims, including that the attacker “dedicated suicide.”
It was not instantly clear how outdated the kid victims had been, however the faculty has youngsters from grades 1 via 11.
Kazantsev had been registered as a affected person at a psychiatric facility, in keeping with the governor of Udmurtia, Alexander Brechalov.
Based on investigators, the gunman “was sporting a black high with Nazi symbols and a balaclava” and was not carrying any ID.
“Checks are being made into his adherence to neo-fascist views and Nazi ideology,” mentioned Russia’s Investigative Committee, which handles main crimes.
“At present investigators … are conducting a search of his residence and finding out the character of the attacker, his views and surrounding milieu.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as “a terrorist act by an individual who apparently belongs to a neo-fascist group or group.”
“President [Vladimir ] Putin deeply mourns deaths of individuals and kids within the faculty, the place a terrorist act happened,” Peskov mentioned.
“The president expressed his deepest condolences to all those that misplaced their family members, their youngsters on this tragic incident, and wished the soonest restoration to these wounded within the inhumane terrorist assault,” Peskov mentioned.
One of many gunman’s uncles, Mikhail Kazantsev, additionally instructed ASTRA that the killer “was mentally sick, he was being handled.” Nevertheless, he refused to elaborate.
The assault got here simply hours after a gunman shot a recruitment officer at an enlistment middle in Siberia, leaving him preventing for all times.
The assault got here simply hours after a gunman shot a recruitment officer at an enlistment middle in Siberia, leaving him preventing for all times.
In Could 2021, a teenage gunman killed seven youngsters and two adults within the metropolis of Kazan. In April 2022, an armed man killed two youngsters and a instructor at a kindergarten within the central Ulyanovsk area earlier than committing suicide.
Russia has seen a number of faculty shootings lately.
With Submit wires
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